What Your Outpost Did This Week.

Reasonable Policy = Good Outcome.

Having at least an attendance record at the Church (or Sister-Church, if applicable) is prudent.

time to get this going again!

End of year (almost) report
We have 1 meeting left this year (30th)

We stated the year with 4 Rangers (2 RK, 2 AR) & 1 Commander
We ended the year with 4 Rangers (1 RK, 1DR, 2AR) & 1 Commander

Same 4 kids  
for those who are newer to RC a recap

Due to our popular Pastor leaving in 2012 & a year & a half transition until the next Pastor came in in 2014 we lost quite a few people (and gained some more)

We went from 12 Rangers down to 2 ( my 2 kids) in 18 months time. I really lost  my heart for rangers for a while. I got it back early this year, but with building our house that took all my Saturdays & many week nights so we really only did 1 Ranger event this year. Now that we have our own house again I plan to start doing more events this year,  including a starter camp out in our yard.

The new Pastor is older (50's) & most of the people who have joined the church in the last 2 years have been 50+  except for 1 young couple with no children yet.

Really Praying for some more younger families to balance out our congregation & provide some more Rangers  & another Commander (or willing newbie)

Please pray for us

Definitely will Chris.

Not the same details, but similar situation in the struggle. Years ago I was P&W leader at a decent sized church that I had grown up in. The band was established and I really enjoyed climbing through the ranks to P&W leader. In late 2006, my wife and I finally came to the point that we realized that our view of church government was in such contrast to the pastor's that we felt we needed to leave.

After a couple years, we ended up where we are now. A small, growing church. When I first arrived, it was me and my guitar. The praise team gained a few members, and then one of the young men got his knickers in a twist and soured another member on his way out taking two key players. That's when I started inserting my boys. They were green and it was really rough at times. Now, a few years later, we have a full band and the boys have really come far. People seem to really enjoy the praise service, and so do I.

I appreciate the band now more than I did when I stepped in to lead an established band all those years ago. While the struggle to build a program or group may be difficult, you'll enjoy the fruits of your labor more than ever when it comes time for harvest. I know you know this, but I just figured I'd encourage you with it.

Ditto. I've stepped into established outposts and started others from scratch. Whenever the "new guy" leaves, I'll likely restart Rangers. Because of our church's current condition and dynamics, it may end up being on Sunday morning. Whatever it takes.

We are holding on with 15 RK, 3DR and 2 AR. We lost 3 RK who were very high energy and had some type of lettered diagnosis (ADD/ADHD). Church leadership seems very happy that this is going, bbut I don't think they have looked at the cost yet. I was originally given a budget of $350. The Children's pastor quickly realized how far that wasn't going to go and gave me a little more freedom. We are going to order the boys awards vests this week so they will have them when they return in January.

We have several boys from other churches that attend our Rangers. Youth seems to hold most of the boys out of Rangers because of food and girls and parties. Even though I know this isn't good for the boys I can't blame them for choosing it.

It won't change until Jesus comes. Yet I know the Barna studies are right. Less than 10% of youth stayed in the church in 2000 now it's half that. My son and I was talking about the friends from church. Most of them would saddly bust hell wide open if Jesus came back today.

We must get back to mentoring our boys and girls. Feeding them what they want never has been good for them. Will we ever learn?

Bible says it will happen this way. It just burns in my heart what we are doing to our kids. Well intentioned. Yet it's bad for them.

Mark Jones

Youth ministry needs a reboot. Food, girls, and parties? That's working out, right? What's the point of pouring in all that time, money, and energy into youth when 85%+ walk away from their faith when they step into the "real" world? Teens are rarely taught apologetics and the ability to intelligently and passionately defend their faith. As soon as they are confronted with an authority figure on the outside, they cave in. As a side note, I think the other 15% make it, because of smart, praying, involved parents.

Hello? Springfield? National ministry directors? Local youth pastors? Wake up. I look at my church's youth group over the last 10 years and I see multiple pregnancies, suicide, and miscellaneous bonzo backsliding.

The penal system has "scared straight" programs. Don't know how effective it is in the long run, but at least it's being straight up with teens. Would it work with youth groups? Maybe tomorrow's youth pastors need to be survivors, with gang tats and the like. "Yo, bro. Don't be stupid like I was. Not everyone lives through it. Let me tell you about my drug addict, incarcerated, dead homies."

Didn't have RR this past Sunday night and won't have it next either. Held our candlelight service this past Sunday evening instead. Looking forward to kicking off the new year with the outpost though. We'll be having our annual cold weather camp in a couple weeks. I hope it chills down before then! Went outside this evening in short sleeves. It was cool, but definitely not unbearable. Supposed to be near 80*F Christmas day here...

Phillip Gross wrote: Supposed to be near 80*F Christmas day here...

If you've ever watched that Alaskan crab boat series, you know they have to hammer the ice off so they don't get top-heavy. Around here, I use a big scraper to minimize the ground ice. Glad I got my wife a 4-wheel drive this year. With studded tires, nothing can stop her. Well, besides a deep snow. We got run off the road last night by a downhill kamikaze driver. Backed up until I found the road again.

That sounds like an adventure!

They must have showed up here. She just lives down the street. Was in my lane head on. I just stopped and she swerved around without even slowing down. Bonus! I got home safely. After 36 years one would think I could be surprised. I just finished being up over a 4 way stop on a 28 foot ladder hanging on a strand fully expected something. After 60 some cars going under me...not even one close call. I was surprised. See it can happen. Ha!

Mark Jones

joecool wrote:

Phillip Gross wrote: Supposed to be near 80*F Christmas day here...

If you've ever watched that Alaskan crab boat series, you know they have to hammer the ice off so they don't get top-heavy. Around here, I use a big scraper to minimize the ground ice. Glad I got my wife a 4-wheel drive this year. With studded tires, nothing can stop her. Well, besides a deep snow. We got run off the road last night by a downhill kamikaze driver. Backed up until I found the road again.

here its supposed to be around 45 Christmas day

We gave out black aluminum L.E.D. Flashlights to the boys. They have a variable focus lens and three modes: Bright, Dim, & Strobe.

We had five lights wrapped up and left over (as I didn't know how many boys would attend), and five was just enough for the Girls' Ministry & their Leader.

That ought to drive the parents nuts through the New Year.

Claymore wrote:That ought to drive the parents nuts through the New Year.

Actually I find it very handy having the kid's flash lights scattered through out the house. It get's dark early and it's storm season. I always know I can find a flash light under the couch or some other random place. Now it's the dead batteries cause they got left on that drive me nuts.

Well Central had a candle light service last year. Some how these 1500 slightly burnt candles with the paper protectors came into our RR possession.

I harvested 160 candles for the big bat cave candle light service this next month. Now what to do with the big box of them.

At one of the FCF events 2 young men had a cancle the size of a 30 gallon trash can bottom that was about 10 inches thick. It had about 20 wicks in it and they used it for a small fire and light in their shelter. Perhaps that is what we need to make with all that wax.

I need to hunt a big ole stainless steel pot and make a web of strings for wicks. That big of a chunk of wax will take a while to heat up and cool off.

It's always fun in Rangers.

We have been off for 3 weeks. It will take us a while to get back up to speed.

Mark Jones

Here is a picture of that big candle.

http://readyrangers.tzo.com/2015territoralrendezvous/rendezvous2015074.jpg

We have been off the last 2 weeks

Had the flu on the 23rd & a sinus infection on the 30th

Started firearm safety tonight using the Avanti program. You know you're doing a merit the boys are into when they're still in the classroom 1/2 hr after Rangers is officially over and their parents have to come find out why they're not out running around.

Our last meeting was Dec 8th. Kinda nice not having to rush out after work on tuesday nights, but I am ready to start up again this week. Going to teach the DR/AR first leadership lesson.

Been operating for over three years now and still haven't done a Leadership Merit. Eager to hear how it goes for you.

I have to try to figure out how to get the 2 AR boys their 200 level leadership merit.. that's going to tricky.

So much for living in the tropics......Had to cancel tonight due to heavy snowfall warning. anywhere between 5-10CM, not much but the way our city deals with clearing the streets.... better have all our kids safe at home then out driving to or from the church. I have yet to see a city plow on the roads today, and it started snowing just after lunch. Roads are so packed down now they won't be out plowing, just sand and salt on some of the major hills.

Continued Firearm Safety merit using the Avanti curriculum. The boys seem to be enjoying this merit so far. I think they're really going to enjoy it when they start shooting in a few weeks!

Dutch oven cooking last night. It was chilly but they enjoyed it. The ER/AR cooked baked potatoe half wrapped in alum foil in a dutch oven. I told them I had not tried that before. (they didn't bake were hard inside but they learned). Peach cobbler was hot but needed 2 cake mixes instead of 1 but they learned.

They did like the suggestion of alum foil 3 pieces each seam folded 3 times and flattend as it made cleaning the ovens pull out and throw away the foil. Younger commander said he had never saw that work...it's in the folding of the seams something they taugh in the old LTC that we have forgotton.

Finished up sharpening drill bits and chainsaw blades for woodworking merit and then flew 2 quad copters around for fun. We had a big turnout as we have been off 3 weeks for holidays.

Mark Jones

Mark Jones